LOVE: Parts I and II
by PoetAnderson
Summary: An unlucky star nomad, named Wander, is given hints about the future through dreams. These dreams become reality. Both Sylvia and Wander run out of Orbbal Juice and it is their job to hang low and not be seen by Lord Hater and his minions. Will they escape? Will Hater capture them and torture them? Story is based on a double album called LOVE by Angels and Airwaves.
1. Prologue

Space and time continued for the troubled orange alien. The more the little creature thought of his best friend, the more depressed he became. His emotions got the better of him as tears began to form and run down his cheeks. Small gasps exhaled from his body as he wiped rivers of tears from his eyes.

"If I can somehow just... rewind time and save her..." He grieved, pulling his hat off of his head, looking at the star that was sewn on. He sighed, a long sigh, and closed his eyes, pulling his hat closer to his body, embracing it. Wander hugged his hat and began to cry into it, muffling the sound of his whimpers.

"Sylvia..."

The star nomad pulled his head out of the hat. Watery eyes looked in the distance to find a pea size planet, getting smaller and smaller until it wasn't visible anymore. The bubble around the sobbing creature still remained intact. It filtered the outside color of space, stars, and planets' atmospheres and other colors. Bubbles were the way he and Sylvia traveled through space. Countless memories were held inside: laughter, jokes, their happiness, and overall good times. The orange fuzz ball looked at the sewn star on his hat once more. Tears filled his eyelids and overflown the edges, dripping down his cheeks and onto the yellow star and absorbed into the cloth of the hat.

"I-Is there another planet nearby?" Wander thought out loud. His head turned to the right. Nothing. To the left. Nothing. Wander's little head turned in all directions and saw no planets in the distance. All he saw was the emptiness of how space really was. Stars shined millions of light years away. The vast majority of life lived millions and millions of light years away from Wander's standpoint. Wander couldn't travel that enormous distance in a short amount of time.

"I got to!" Wander tried to encourage himself into traveling. His small feet moved forward, shoes rubbing against the bottom of the bubble. It began to spin and move forward. Wander was looking all around, trying to find at least _something_. Bright blue shoes halted, as did the bubble. Wander's head looked all around him and saw nothing but blackness. The color black swallowed him. At this point, there was no where to go for the little creature. It was useless to continue to travel; all hope was running out for Wander.

"Should I go back?" Wander thought, "No! No! That is just-no!"

Wander continued to think of possible ways to get somewhere, he didn't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere, but by the looks of it, that is the only thing that could happen. He didn't want to go back to that horrid planet where Hater and his army of Watchdogs were at, causing infinite amounts of destruction in their paths. Wander sighed again.

The fuzzy creature put his green hat back on and lowered it to cover his face. He frowned and salty tears began to run down his cheeks once again. He sat down and began to blame himself inside his mind with his own thoughts. Images of Sylvia's body haunted him as the images would flash and fill his mind with terror. Hater's smile was another factor that added to the horrid visions. If Hater was there to watch Wander cry and break down, he would have loved every single second of it. He would relish it and probably remind Wander of how Sylvia had fell and passed on due to his elite army.

Wander sighed and looked at his shoes. His vision began to fail and blur a little bit, flickering almost. But the darkness around him did not look any better than the darkness inside his eyelids and conscious.


	2. Et Ducit Mundum Per Luce

Throughout the entire universe, there lay one innocent creature who kept a positive attitude towards life. He never hurt anybody and never left someone behind; always helpful and generous towards others. His name is Wander. A beam of light would shine down upon a stranger who gazed at his face, for he had gleaming white teeth that always ignited a room, eliminating all shadows from existence. He wore a fluffy green hat with a yellow star sewed onto it. The hat contained items that were needed, rather than what was wanted, and it was used for a sleeping bag when the nights grew rather cold and uncomfortable. Blue shoes with white socks were worn on his feet. To conclude his description, his orange fur was soft as a pillow; tangle free.

Wander enjoyed life and viewed it in an absorbing way that many others thought "different." He believed that everyone had a good spot located deep within their hearts, deep in the roots of the soul. For evil never really did exist - or at least that is what Wander thought.

The orange creature was accompanied by a trusty light blue Zbornak named Sylvia. She had a black saddle on with a saddle blanket underneath. Zbornaks were creatures who roamed a planet far in out in the universe - in a random galaxy that is unknown. They both had their little adventures through time. Traveling through: space, galaxies, planets, and the list goes on. Sylvia never departed from Wander, even into and out of tough situations. They were like two peas in a pod. Always by each other's side, helping each other out with their problems.

Sylvia slowly walked as Wander rode on her back, looking around for a safe spot to fabricate a campsite. Luckily, they found an empty spot, which was surrounded by tall, thick trunked trees. The blue steed lowered herself down so that Wander could dismount and set up for the night.

"Well, this sure looks like a fine place to settle in, don't ya think Sylvia?" Wander asked in his Southern accent while getting off of her.

"It sure does," Sylvia added as she began to stare off and look at the descending sun that hugged the horizon. Behind her, Wander began to scavenge around inside his hat, looking for several items. He drew out a box full of matches, his banjo, and prepared food and water. The orange lifeform reached for his banjo and began to strum the strings of the instrument. Vibrating into Sylvia's ears, the sound intervened her thoughts, and her staring contest she was having with the beautiful sunset, ceased; she turned around and faced Wander, who was going to town on his banjo.

"You never let that thing go, now do you?" Wander's friend asked.

Wander chuckled, "I'm afraid not."

Sylvia hiked into the trees and diced up some fresh firewood, thanks to her martial arts background. Wander waited for her to return and continued to strum. The Zbornak returned and packed the firewood in a nice and steady pile along with some dried grass. The star nomad halted his banjo playing for a second and picked up the matchbox, pulling out one firestarter. Striking the match against the rough edge of the box, the match bursted to life and screamed. Wander tossed the match inside and smoke began to soar through the air. Flames began to engulf the fuel.

"There we go!" Wander declared with a shiny smile. Sylvia grinned back. The banjo sounded and continued to ring through the ears of the Zbornak. The calm noise it made sent relaxing vibrations that calmed the nerve of any person who were next to the talented performer.

Sylvia reached down and grabbed a blanket out of the green hat. She spread it smoothly across the grass, laying it flat so they both can take a seat. Next, sandwiches were distributed on a round and clean plate. Wander snatched a sandwich and began to consume it. Sylvia did as well. A canteen full of fresh water was passed around, quenching their thirsts.

"Man, that sunset is something else," Wander pointed out. "It's beautiful."

Sylvia finished chewing and turned her head, staring at the beauty. "I've always loved sunsets."

The sun along the horizon began to fall and slip away from the hug that it was receiving. Stars above revealed themselves to the world underneath the duo. The chilly air blew against Wander's thick orange fur, which sent shivers down his little spine. His banjo ceased playing and was put away. Sylvia lay down on the dark green grass and shut her eyes. Wander climbed up on top of her and got inside the hat, moving constantly to get in a cozy position. The side of his head lay restless on the Zbornak's back.

"See you in the mornin', Sylvia," Wander said.

"You too, buddy." She responded. The star nomad closed his eyes and began to drift off into a deep slumber.


	3. The Flight of Apollo

The night was still young. Wander and Sylvia were sound asleep; the orange creature emitting a soft snoring sound while the Zbornak, eyes closed, inhaled and exhaled. Located beside them, the fire burned and crackled cheerfully within the circle of rocks. The stars above them glared at the duo for hours, and during these hours, Wander entered a dream that would soon turn into a complete nightmare.

"Just a few more miles," Sylvia exhaustingly stated, "we can make it!"

Wander wiped the sweat off of his forehead and reached for the canteen that was draping on Sylvia's right side. He offered her some, but she refused to take a sip. "I can't believe that we ran out of Orbbal Juice that fast. I guess we lose time when we are travelin' so much."

"You can say that again," Sylvia said. After a few more steps, her blue feet treaded on a sharp object. "Ow!"

"Are you okay?" Wander empathetically asked his friend.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

Sylvia brushed it off and continued to push forward, and as they progressed, both pair of eyes squinted to see lights along the horizon. "Look, Wander! The city! We are bound to find some Orbbal Juice there!"

With high hopes of getting some Orbbal Juice, the friends stumbled upon a highway that would lead them straight towards the city. Sylvia remained on the side of the road, being cautious of big motored vehicles. The smell of exhaust and fumes entered Wander's lungs which irritated them. Wander looked into the sky. He was suspecting to see stars as he would when tucked away in the wilderness. Instead, the star nomad got bright neon and electronic billboards that brightened the night sky, so not even a twinkling of a single star can show it's light down on himself.

Wander listened for the familiar sounds. Crickets do their dance of song, frogs talking to each other in a symphony of ribbits. It has been replaced with the honk of the horn, police sirens screaming to life in the distance. These were the sounds of the city that never slept.

"Have you ever been to the city before, Wander?" Sylvia had asked the astonished star nomad.

"I have been to the city before, but only a few times. Some bad things happen in the city..." Wander nervously explained. A pair of blue shoes fell and made contact with the hard, gray pavement. The green hat on the star nomad's furry head tilted slightly to the right, losing balance. A soft orange hand seized the brim of the hat, preventing it from plummeting down to the ground. Sylvia looked up in amazement as the tall buildings barely scraped the sky with their sharp antennas. Wander gazed along with her but their attention was soon interrupted by a car that bolted by, the car lost control and the tires screeched against the street; the vehicle rammed head-on with a telephone pole down the road.

Wander's face grew with concern and raced over there to make sure no one was seriously hurt or even killed.

"Are you alright?!" Wander shouted over the steaming motor. Sylvia rushed behind him, just as concerned.

No response.

An empty seat was seen through the tinted windows of the vehicle; there was no driver. Not even a passenger. Puzzled, the duo rubbed the side of their heads. Automobiles drove on by with operating passengers that were visualized by both Wander and Sylvia. Some stared at the scene.

"That was strange," Sylvia uttered under her breath. Sirens echoed in the distance and they were slowly growing louder. "Come on, we gotta get going."

Wander nodded, not sure what to think when it came to the strange event. The two friends roamed down a dark and eerie alleyway; on a quest to find some Orbbal juice.

Meanwhile, about ten to fifteen miles away, in another city, a skeleton in a black and red cloak exited his ship, followed by an army of Watchdogs. The leader's eyes glowed an evil neon green and the gold gloves that covered his bony hands were charged with might. As soon as he barked commands, the Watchdogs moved forward, producing destruction along their path. Citizens ran away from the approaching invasion, carrying their young who were shrieking. In the background, the Leader cracked a smile as the demolition unfolded. His little sidekick stood beside him, relishing the fear, sadness, desperation and despair.


	4. Young London

"Move it!"

The sound of army boots blared behind a few citizens who were leaded like a herd of animals toward these mini-ships. These ships were later deployed to Lord Hater's ship; the Torture Room would await their arrival. Only victims that were trying to escape were sent to that dreadful room. Once the doors slammed shut, there was no turning back. No way out. Scratching and clawing are the only things the victims could do. People were on their knees, crying and begging for mercy. Soldiers didn't show any remorse and continued to yell their given commands and stomp on valuables that belonged to families.

"Listen up!" barked Commander Peepers, "Anyone who is caught fleeing or are fighting back, they must be exterminated immediately; kill them if they become too hostile or send them to the Torture Room! Now, our mission here is to conquer and rule this planet, one step at a time; to spread hate across the entire universe! Our Leader will be proud of us, being his loyal army. We must not let him down. Now, go!"

The Watchdogs assembled and stomped their way away from their commander.

Slaves were forced to build statues of their new leader, Lord Hater. These statues were made out of a hard cement and took quite the talent and patience to get every detail right. God forbid if Hater found out that something was out of order, no telling what could possibly go wrong. After all, this was the capital that they had claimed. This city was first in line and it was the biggest after all. It would make a great spot to take over and make it capital of their new world.  
Buildings crumbled down to the ground and reconstruction was decided. Lord Hater obviously didn't like the city he was invading, a few renovations wouldn't hurt.

"Ahh, yes. My plan is going swell." Lord Hater announced from the seat of his throne. His neon green eyes glared out of the windows, staring down citizens who were being captured by his fellow army. "I just love the smell of despair in the morning."  
"Sir," Peepers began,"where is our next destination?"

The leader turned around in his chair to face his little sidekick. He pulled out a map which covered his face; his studying of the map almost burned a hole through the thin piece of paper.

"Here," Hater announced, "Plottemis!"

Hater turned the map around and showed his sidekick where the next destination was. The little eye guy looked at the map, spotting Plottemis a few inches away from the city they were currently in.

"Good choice, sir."

_Little did he know that was the same city that Wander and Sylvia traveled to._

"Halt! Who goes there?" barked a Watchdog. He maneuvered his flashlight to the direction of the noise. The water below his feet began to soak up in his red boots. Darkness surrounded him but this didn't intimidate the soldier. He was use to this type of environment. The sound of rustling was heard once again, this time, it was a lot closer.

"Found you," he thought and rushed in. Water splashed under his running feet.

A shriek was heard and a citizen revealed herself and began sprinting as fast as she could, but she was no match for the speed of this special Watchdog. His hand reached out for her and pulled on her dress, preventing her from traveling any farther before he had ran out of breath. The woman scratched and wiggled in his grip, elbowing his arms away, trying to escape. He laughed at her feeble attempts to flee.

"Put... me... DOWN!" she grunted and elbowed him in his pupil. The force behind that blow was damaging. His hands freed her and she made a dash into a pipe, where she began to crawl for her life. The Watchdog rubbed his eye, gazing at the pipe with his blurry vision. His head shook and finally the blurriness had cleared and he jumped inside the pipe, crawling on all fours with his assigned gun in his right hand. "You're really gonna get it now."

The unknown woman continued to crawl inside the pipe and finally reached the end, an open room was followed. On the ceiling, there was water flowing down and collecting in the sewer water below. Her nose shriveled up as the smell had worsened.

"There is the outside, maybe if somehow I can get up there and escape..." she thought quickly to herself.

The Watchdog persisted and faint noises were coming from inside the pipe behind her. Her head turned around and she saw the flashlight that was illuminating the insides of the pipe, letting her know that her capturer was on his way. As nasty as the place smelled, she inhaled dirty air into her lungs and dived into the murky water. Her body was surrounded by greenish brown liquid. The Watchdog arrived at the end of the pipe and looked around, observing his surroundings and seeing if she was insight. No luck.

"Come in, come in," he shouted inside his walkie-talkie, "we have a prisoner who is escaping. She is in the sewers with me, but be careful, she is hostile."

"Copy that."

"Now where are you, you little brat?"

The girl was submerged under the water, trying to hold her breath for the longest of time. She tried to open her eyes, but the water stung her eyes and blinded her. Her oxygen level was decreasing fast and she just knew that he was somewhere around there, waiting for her. Bubbles began escaping her mouth, quickly rising to the surface of the repulsive lake of sewage. The Watchdog remained at the pipe and he noticed the bubbles popping. "Ah-ha!" The girl quickly rose from her hiding place and began to swim, her eyes squinting at the concrete she was to climb up and escape. The Watchdog aimed at her with his gun and began to fire. Red lasers followed the girl but luckily missed her, disappearing in the dark waters. She grunted and climbed up on the concrete floor, more lasers were on their way. Beams exploded against the concrete wall, nearly missing her head. The sound of wet footsteps echoed off the sewer walls.

"Dammit!" the soldier said to himself in an annoyed tone.

She exhaled and inhaled like someone having an asthma attack for a way out. Eventually, after traveling through small and narrow hallways, she found an exit.  
The girl rushed toward the door with the sunlight that underlined the doorway. She pushed on the heavy metal door. Sunlight blinded her. Her vision blurred for a second and soon began to make out a line of small black figures holding something each in their hands. Her vision regain itself and she saw a line of terror that stared her down.

"Freeze!"

Her body froze with shock and terror and she couldn't even move a single muscle. Her feet slowly began to move backwards but she was stopped as she heard the sound of a laser gun charging up. Behind her was her pursuer.

"You're coming with me. And you better think twice about running away this time."  
Iron bars slammed in front of the female prisoner who tried to escape. Her pupils shrunk in size as she realized that she was now in the back of a truck filled with "prisoners." The woman grabbed the bars and rattled them, begging the soldiers to release her. They did not answer or even acknowledge her existence. A Watchdog climbed into the driver's seat of the truck, turned the key, and drove toward the Leader's ship. The woman glanced back at the destruction that enfolded on the outside. People screamed with terror. Watchdogs yelled commands. Fires roared to life.

Lord Hater grinded his teeth with impatience, "It better not be a long wait."

"No sir," Peepers chuckled nervously, "I promise."

Hater never enjoyed waiting for something that he desired. He desired to torture the innocent on this very day, but, unfortunately, the Watchdogs who delivered the citizens were late. Hater slowly tapped the arms of his throne - waiting.

The side door of the throne room opened, shadows of creatures emitted on the glossy floor. Citizens entered the room and faced their destroyer. The sound of army boots followed them as a big group of Watchdogs kept eye on the sufferers who begged to be released.

"It's about time," growled the evil mastermind, "take them to my torture room."

The group of soldiers marched them toward the Torture Room, followed by Hater who was drooling at his own imagination of what he could do to each and every one of them.

Inside the room, there lay instruments on an operating table. A chair with straps near the legs and arms stood beside it. The innocent were directed by soldiers and were entered in small and uncomfortable cages, where they would stay until it was their time to perish and die and watch as their friends and neighbors were dismantled in front of their eyes. Blood would collect on the white tile floor and soon fall down the drain that was centered in the room.

Hater looked at the occupied cages and picked a prisoner's fate. A pair of Watchdogs approached the cage as the prisoner would beg and scream for mercy. His nails screeched along the tile floor and he was thrown inside the brown dentist-like chair. Straps kept him from running away and disrespecting his destroyer. Hater grabbed the stranger by the collar of his shirt and stared deeply in his eyes.

The stranger grunted, "What do you want from me?!"

Hater chuckled and jabbed the scalpel into his knee, grinding it from side to side. The prisoner screamed in pain while the others watched, gasping as red liquid began to pour out of his knee. This made Hater smile ever so big. Hater continued to grind and eventually pulled it out, leaving a hole in the guy's left knee. The skeleton laughed and proceeded to do the exact same thing with the guy's other knee.

A pair of Watchdogs stood outside the torture chamber, patrolling the area and making sure no one proceeded any further. The sound of screams penetrated through the metal walls and into their ears.

"Lord Hater must be enjoying this guy since he is giving him what he really wants," soldier one mentioned.

"Yeah, I bet he is enjoying every single second of it. I would too, if I was in there. I really can't wait for the thousands who will scream right before _it_ happens," soldier two explained, stroking his gun softly.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Well, I heard that Hater is looking to destroy cities and countries across the globe. I could be wrong, but that is what I was told. He said something about missiles or something along those lines."

"Commander Peepers?"

"Yeah, I heard him talking about it to other fellow soldiers."

Lord Hater eventually got bored of the guy's screams and decided to end him right there and then. He demanded another prisoner. This whole process continued for several hours until he was out of people to torture. The evil Lord exited the Torture Room, followed by the small group of walking eyes.

A pair of doors slid open on their own, Lord Hater leading them to a room that was flooded with missiles. There, special Watchdogs who were trained in this heavy artillery, input button codes for various reasons.  
"Whoooooa," soldier one astonishingly exclaimed. The missiles inside the bulkhead were huge compared to the tiny evil creatures. The light fixtures at the top of the room shined bright and created a glare that painted itself on the side of each nuclear device.

"These are the missiles that I was told about. I guess they weren't rumors after all." Watchdog two explained. Lord Hater stormed passed the many rows of missiles and made his way through a door that was located at the other end of the giant bombshell of a chamber.

"Peepers! Call the other Watchdogs! I have a very important and evil speech to give." Hater said, staring down his sidekick in command.

"Yes, sir!" Peepers said, pushing a red button, which triggered an alarm system which gathered the Watchdogs every morning. After about five minutes, each and every single one of them lined up and stared at their Leader, waiting on the speech he was about to give.

"You all probably wondered why I gathered you here today. Command Peepers ordered you to enslave people in this city, which you have completed. But there are far more cities around this globe that we need to conquer. Our job is to conquer not just one planet, or a single galaxy, but to conquer the universe! That is our number one priority. Hate shall spread like fire. Fear shall engulf citizens everywhere! My name shall echo in their minds for an eternity." Hater smiled and continued, "If you haven't noticed, there are missiles lined inside the bulkhead, preparing for launch. We are to launch these weapons of mass destruction, aiming them at cities across the globe. Cities will crumble. Lives shall no longer exist. People will suffer. Tears never tasted so good."

His army stood still as pieces of stiff wood. They watched and hardly blinked, not wanting to miss a single millisecond of this memorable speech.

"I want to build my empire here, on this planet, starting with the capitol! We shall expand! We have the resources, the space, the motivation to spread hate. No one can touch us. We are immortal. And today, this world will change. Change under ruling, power, and the list goes on.**It will be perfect.** If anyone tries anything to make sure I can't have what I want, then kill them. Don't hesitate. Show no remorse. Today is my day and I shall not have it ruined by peasants who are lower than I. We shall go for Plottemis next, enslave as many as you can! We don't change lives for the better, we change lives for the worst. If Hell existed, I'd say I just took over His throne." Hater was determined to make things work.

"You are dismissed."

Watchdogs exited the throne room after hearing his fearful and terrifying speech. A few soldiers shivered inside their own boots after witnessing such a powerful and petrifying lecture. They heard the orders correctly. Plottemis was next in line.

_Suit up, boys._


	5. Shove

"Hmm, where do they keep the Orbbal Juice at?" Wander thought as he rubbed his chin. "Do you think they even carry Orbbal Juice?"

"I don't know. I thought they did." Sylvia responded. She glanced behind her and picked up something from the shelves. "No, that's not it."

Wander traveled down the aisle to see if he could find any. He pondered for several minutes before noticing something out the corner of his eye. TVs were displaying terrifying images of a familiar villain and his troops, broadcasting live from a news station.

"Uh, Syl?" Wander's voice cracked.

"Did you find any-" Sylvia was interrupted by the sounds of terror coming from the multiple televisions that were displayed in the back of the shop. The both of them walked closer to get a more coherent audio. The static engulfed the video as a news reporter was a witness to these short and violent soldiers. Fires burned in the background, people screamed and ran away from the upcoming danger.

"I am live in Plottemis, where countless creatures are marching and destroying everyone and everything in their paths. Buildings are on fire! Oh, God-!"

The TV went black. Audio faded away from the television's speakers.

"Watchdogs," Sylvia stated the obvious. Wander gulped. The sound of army boots echoed from outside. Pedestrians began to screech with terror.

"Looks like Hater wanted to pay us a visit!" Sylvia said, clenching her fists ready to battle. Wander stood there, confused.

The streetlights dimmed as the power of the city completely shut off. Telephone poles leaned against hanging wires and some were on top of cars, houses, and in the street. Lights inside the store faded away. Wander gazed at the drained lights. He quickly ran over to one of the windows, peeking out of the blinds to see what was truly going on. His eyes squinted and he could see Watchdogs marching, zapping people with their laser guns, Commander Peepers giving orders and... Lord Hater himself. His sinister smile gave Wander chills.

The sound of a gunshot was heard.

"What do you see?" Sylvia asked aloud.

"SHHH! They'll hear us!" Wander whispered. Lord Hater stopped his stomping, surveying the damage. The neon green eyes of evil were ominous as the both of them scanned the area.

"I see Watchdogs. Hater; he's scanning the area." Wander uttered quietly. "Uhh, people are getting taken back to his ship. They are being put into cages... We need to do something!"

"We can't do anything without risking ourselves on getting caught by Mr. Bonehead and his army!" Sylvia disagreed. The Zbornak was right. They couldn't do a single thing without being caught and possibly getting killed or enslaved.

"Get away from the window before-" Sylvia started but was interrupted by Wander's sudden movement under the window seal. The star nomad motioned for her to hang low. Wander's blood began to run cold at the sight for which he saw.

"Why have you stopped, Commander Peepers?" Lord Hater impatiently asked.

"I saw something, over there!" Peepers said, pointing towards the store. Hater squinted his eyes to see if he could see anything.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, quite positive, sir."

Hater stepped forward, slowly walking towards to store; his cloak dragging behind him. Peepers followed and made sure he didn't step on his newly washed wardrobe.

Wander put his ear to the wall to see if he could hear anything. He heard very faint and filtered footsteps coming from Hater's shoes that sounded against the cold, grey pavement. Each step grew a little louder. Wander's eyes shrunk in size and Sylvia crawled and hid inside a clothing stand, hiding behind a circle of multi-colored shirts and pairs of pants. She peeked her head out and motioned for Wander to quickly move out of his spot and into hers. The shadow of a tall, wide figure appeared at the door. Time was ticking and the doorknob started to rattle. Wander swallowed his fear and quickly dashed for cover.

The door opened and it whined as it slammed against the wall. The sounds of bells were heard.

Lord Hater took a step inside the store, shifting his eyes left to right. Peepers went around his Leader and quietly walked forward, looking for any signs of life within his vision. Peepers pulled out a flashlight and began scavenging through the store.

The light ricocheted against the glossy white tile, that was the floor, and shined upon Wander's forehead and Sylvia's throat. Sylvia put a finger up to her mouth. Wander nodded.

"Looks like no one is here, let's go! I grow impatient." Lord Hater announced. The sounds of footsteps lingered for a couple of seconds, followed by a door slam. Wander leaned forward and gently moved some pants aside to glance at the door.

"I think they're gone," Wander whispered. "I don't see them."

Sylvia quietly got out of the clothing stand and the small star nomad did as well. Nearby, on a shelf, a collectible snowglobe was knocked off of the shelf by Sylvia's long tail. It echoed through the store as it hit and shattered on the tile floor. Wander closed his eyes and gritted his teeth for a couple of seconds. Sylvia stood there, frozen, knowing what she had accidentally done.

_BAM!_

The door flew open and cracked the wall with it's extreme force. Lord Hater stood there, neon green eyes glowing as well as his gloved hands.

"Get them!" Hater shouted. Masses of Watchdogs swarmed the store like an infestation of cockroaches. Wander and Sylvia jumped into the air and ran to the back of the store, where an Exit was waiting for them. The footsteps grew closer and closer. Without any Orbbal Juice, the duo was doomed. Wander's blue shoes splashed in a puddle of rainwater and Sylvia dodged upcoming dumpsters. The alleyway was rather small and it hardly fit both Sylvia and Wander.

"Go! Go! Go!" screamed a Watchdog.

"Run, Sylvia!" Wander said while his voice cracked with fear.

"Don't let them get away! Not this time!"

"Oh, glarb! What are we going to do!" Sylvia grunted as she dodged a Watchdog's grab. Wander quickly looked around and tried to gain some kind of knowledge of his surroundings. Nothing. At this point, the star nomad thought that this was finally it - their moment in time and their last.

Wander tripped over a rusty metal object that was lying in the middle of the alleyway. Sylvia darted past him, realizing that her friend was in dear trouble. She stopped and turned around to see her friend being beaten on the ground by their boots and the butts of their guns. Wander yelped.

She gasped.

"No sudden movements or this orange thing will be blasted! I mean it!" one Watchdog explained as he shook the laser gun near Wander's head.

"Alright, you win. Just don't do anything hostile, okay?" Sylvia calmly said as she slowly raised her arms up in the air, surrendering.

"Sylvia! No!" Wander screamed inside his thoughts. "What are you doing?!"

The Watchdogs stomped towards Sylvia. Aiming, their eyes gave an unfriendly and vengeful presence. This seemed like the correct nature of these small and violent creatures. Sylvia frowned and closed her eyes, ready to be cuffed and locked away in a cold, dark jail cell. Where a tall and evil skeleton ruler would brag about his capture for months on end.

After a moment of silence, Sylvia bursted from her trance and kicked the laser gun out of the Watchdog's hands. She turned around and punched and kicked her way out of the circle. The Watchdog holding Wander hostage gulped and he was soon punched in the eye by Sylvia's bulky and strong blue hands. Wander ran away and hid behind Sylvia, who was ready to attack anyone who would get an inch closer to her pal. Some Watchdogs groaned in pain on the floor, their eyes closed and were face down on the ground. A few of them ran up to Sylvia, but she kicked their butts twice as hard. Very few of them got a few punches. One punch ended up contacting her mouth, breaking off a piece of tooth. Soon, all of them ran away in fear. The shadow of a tower of some sorts stood over them, slowly rocking back and forth with the wind that blew through the land, which fueled the fires that spread across the city; swallowing building after building.

"Hater's most violent creatures, my butt. They're Hater's most stupid creatures." Sylvia mocked.

Wander giggled.

"Come on, let's get outta h-"

A very tall metal radio tower across the street started to shake, making grinding noises. It slanted and was heading straight for the duo. Both pair of eyes grew in size and they both dashed barely underneath it. Smoke filled the air and as the dust cleared, Wander and Sylvia got up from the wreckage. A few pieces of metal continued to fall and hit the pavement. Fire crackled as it devoured the tower and the remaining of cars that alarmed that were nearby. Structures underneath the radio tower were damaged by the heavy metal tower that fell on them.

"You alright?" Sylvia asked Wander.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Wander replied, getting off of the illuminated ground.

"C'mon, we gotta get out of here. That radio tower was the cause of the Watchdogs fleeing. We need to find a way to get a hold of some Orbbal Juice." Sylvia stated.

"WE'RE GONNA GET YOU AND YOU'LL SEE!" a Watchdog screamed from the other side of the burning tower.

"YEAH, WE'LL SURELY SEE, NOW WON'T WE? YOU COME CLOSER TO MY BUDDY AND MYSELF, YOU WILL BE TOAST. YOU GOT IT?"

At this moment in time, Wander looked up at Sylvia who was promising a beat down for the evil soldiers. He felt safe and he was thankful that Sylvia was around for him.

There was no answer. Sylvia assumed that she scared them off, but Wander knew that they had already left.

"Alright, for real this time, let's move it!" Sylvia said while turning around to head in the other direction. Wander gazed and stared deep inside the fire, seeing faint and disturbing images of death that could possibly haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Are you coming, buddy?" Sylvia said with a concerning look on her face. She walked up to Wander and touched his small shoulder. Her pupils looked forward into the flames and wondered why her friend seemed depressed all of a sudden. The smoke floated above and entered the atmosphere as the flames below danced and charcoaled the remaining of the radio antenna, along with the buildings underneath. Sylvia looked deep through the flames and saw what Wander was seeing. She gasped and grabbed Wander's hand, pulling him away and taking him to a better suited place.

There lay a child who was facedown in the pavement, soaking in red DNA. Her face was turned the other way so Sylvia nor Wander could see if she was alive or not. She had bruises that lined up her small body. Her teddy bear laid next to her, as motionless as the little girl was. There, along her spine was a hole that was surrounded by dried blood.

_"__Where's Daddy?" an excited little girl asked her mother who was washing the dishes in the sink._

"I dunno, dear. He hasn't answered my calls. I'm sure he'll be home pretty soon. I promise."

"Oh. Okay."

The little girl got up from her wooden seat and left the kitchen and walked into the living room, teddy bear in hand. She plopped down on the couch and the remote clicked. The TV screen bursted to life with high definition colors. The first thing she heard was a scream coming through the speakers.

"I am reporting LIVE in Plottemis where an invasion is taking place. Over the course of minutes, bombs were sounding off as soldiers were marching the streets of this city-"

BOOM!

A building behind the reportee blew up and chunks of cement from the walls blew and hit the cameraman. The impact rattled the house. Picture frames shook violently on the camera fell over and continued to shoot the destruction that occurred across the street. A dead body lay there inside the window, glass impaling it's stomach. It was the little girl's father.

"Mommy!" The girl screamed as the shaking came to a halt. The mother felt the blast in the other room and quickly ran in the other room to check on her daughter.

Her daughter pointed to the TV. It took a little moment for it to sink in, but the mother wrapped her arms around her daughter. The building that blew up across that street wasn't that far from the place. The little girl began to cry inside her mother's arms and wished that this day had never happened.

"It's going to be, okay, sweetie," her mother started, "we need to leave right now. It's not safe to stay here. We need to move." She hugged her child and quickly packed some things and grabbed her child and exited the house. Car alarms echoed through the neighborhood and the fires turned the night into daylight.

"Whatever you do, stay close to me!" Her mother told her. They got inside the car, buckled up and were on their way out of the city. The little girl hugged her teddy bear for comfort while her mother was focused driving slowly on the streets; wrecked cars, telephone poles and wires littered the streets.

The mother looked in the mirror to see her daughter crying and holding her teddy bear. She frowned.

"I-"

A car was traveling and didn't stop, hitting their car on the side. Their car slid down the street and eventually halted to a complete stop. Glass was everywhere inside. The little girl grunted and she managed to unbuckle herself. She reached down for her teddy bear, then looked up to see her mother's head dangling and motionless.

"M-Mommy?"

No answer.

The little girl looked at the side of her neck, seeing blood gushing out. She panicked and quickly got out of the wreckage. Her beautiful green eyes gleamed at the red sky and dark clouds that were hovering above her. Tears formed in her eyes minutes later as she looked back at the driver in the driver's seat. She turned her head and walked slowly down the street.

After traveling a little while, the girl stared up and saw a tall radio tower that swallowed the sky. She clenched onto her teddy bear, silent as can be.

BANG!


	6. Epic Holiday

The fires burned and screamed as they spread across the city from building to building. Sides of the buildings began to turn a charcoal black. Thick black smoke poured into the sky, making conditions hard for the citizens below. Their lungs were filled with the scent of something constantly burning. Ever so often, buildings located in different parts of the city would crumble to the ground. Screams would be heard in the distance and all you could do is finish your job before a Watchdog zapped you with his gun.

"What are you doing? Get back to work!"

Citizens were evacuated and soldiers rushed in to capture them. Some managed to escape; only a few. The ones who hadn't escaped were thrown in the back of trucks and were basically hauled towards their defeat. Watchdogs followed and monitored each person, making sure that there job was complete.

Labor was enforced and was demanded by the skeleton ruler. Watchdogs monitored civilians and made sure that they were working. These jobs were a pain to be in and even witness. Guys were assigned to lift heavy rocks by hand, and they were later crushed into smaller pieces. There were statues that were being built nearby by hard workers. Blood, sweat and tears were pouring out on this very day and for several hours to come.

Sylvia and Wander rushed by and saw the poor citizens being poorly treated by the evil soldiers. The both of them decided to hang low until it was the right time to exit this turmoil. But something deep inside Wander's mind told him not so. He wanted to help the people out, but there were far too many soldiers to get rid of. The possibility of both him and his trusty steed getting caught were extremely high. Once caught, they would be either killed or sent to Lord Hater where he would relish every second of Wander's screams of agony. And their souls would lift away from their bodies and disappear. Wander didn't want to take any chances. After seeing the dead girl back at the grounded radio station tower, the point of view of both friends were changed.

"If Hater could do this to an innocent child, then what makes me think he wouldn't stop at anything?" Sylvia thought inside her cranium. The thought of the child would haunt her and Wander for a while. The blood underneath her light weight body. The faint screams that echoed through their consciousness before that sudden gunshot they heard while in the store. It was unbelievable.

Wander shook his head after a few seconds of looking on at the people who had sad and agonizing looks on their faces. He sighed and rushed to catch up with Sylvia. Their mission now was to get some Orbbal Juice and get the heck out of this hell hole before something bad happened.

The dark night time sky was visible above the wrecked city. Streets were now abandoned. Alleyways were too. Dumpsters were the only object there to keep anyone company if one was to travel down there. Trash blew in the wind and would hit anyone's ankles a few times before traveling off and getting stuck inside the holes of a fence.

Power lines exploded into small sparkles as the transformers blew. The lines would fall and would be a walking hazard on the ground. In another part of the city, fires engulfed cars and nearby gas stations. Red and yellow colors would swallow the pumps and the store itself to later blow up and stun nearby citizens. People would run from the the approaching troops, avoiding being captured and put in their prison. Screams were heard behind citizens when someone was being held down to the wet and cold pavement. They would be proceeded to be hauled away from what was left of society. People would cough and wheeze as they would try to escape, a few stopping to catch their breath.

Cop cars lined and blocked the streets, but sadly, the enforcers were not capable of keeping up with the army of soldiers. Their bodies would collapse from a wound, knees contacting the cracked, paved road. Weapons of authority would be taken away from the police officers and were held against them.

Skyscrapers would shake back and forth when a huge explosion rattled the environment. Glass would shatter due to the force behind the impact and fall stories down and hit the ground. All of this was a witness to both Sylvia and Wander and things were not going to change anytime soon.

"Hater has gone too far..."


	7. Hallucinations

A frown formed on Wander's face as he gazed upon the havoc the soldiers were creating. The little star nomad wasn't much of a frowner unless something was in his presence that bothered the creature. His eyes gleamed as they continued to stare down soldiers who were walking by, marching citizens to an unknown destination. Deep inside the furry orange ball was telling him to jump out from behind the bush and save all of the strangers. But his mind was telling him otherwise, as well as Sylvia. The two had been hanging low for several hours which felt like years to the duo. Dodging corners, hiding in tight places and trying to stay incognito until the ghost was completely clear.

The sky darkened as heavy and thick clouds began to roll overhead. The sound of thunder in the distance echoed through the city, shaking and rattling what was left of buildings. The vibrations traveled down empty alleyways and bounced off of brick walls. Rain started the pitter-patter sounds when the drops would hit everything below. Small rivers formed next to the curbs and collected down in the sewers. The sounds of boots splashing in puddles were heard faint. Tires from vehicles were making sound against the wet pavement.

Wander and Sylvia both blended in with the background, while the walls and the streets were also a witness to the power hungry leader and his orders. Flashlights shined down the street, monitoring the citizens and their hard labor. The leader watched closely as the last and final piece of the replica of himself was completed. Sylvia motioned Wander to be quiet.

"What do YOU MEAN YOU NEED A BREAK?" Hater raised his voice. The Zbornak quietly moved a few leaves and branches out of her way until the meetup was visible. Raindrops slowly ran down the tops of leaves and dripped onto the hiding nomads. Flashes of lightning brightened up the street, followed by a loud and eerie boom.

"What are we going to do?" Wander whispered, "We're surrounded."

"The only option is to just wait it out." Sylvia replied in a hushed tone.

"It DOESN'T mean that when you're TIRED that DOESN'T automatically mean you need a break. There are NO BREAKS. NONE!"

In the bushes, Sylvia's fists began to clench and ball up. She was on the edge of jumping out of the bushes and kicking his bony little butt. Wander frowned at the harsh words that were emitted from the leader's mouth.

Drops of sweat and rain fell off of the prisoner's face and calluses began to form on his crafty hands. He looked up to the empowered ruler and feared of what he might do. His brown colored eyes made contact with the pure evil neon green eyes. Hater looked down at the prisoner who was begging and pleading for mercy.

"Get back to work," Hater scoffed, "you better be done by the time I get back. If  
not..." Hater paused and motioned his thumb across his throat, a gesture meaning death. The prisoner's eyes widened at the sight and immediately got back to working on the desired statue. Wander and Sylvia continued to watch. Hater began to walk away from the incomplete replica and then decided to turn around and give the prisoner one final glare, before disappearing into the thick smoke with his first in command by his side. Other soldiers held their ground and watched the prisoner construct more features onto the Lord Hater statue.

"Ugh, we are never going to get anywhere without these losers nearby. Do you have any idea, Wander?" The blue Zbornak asked while viewing the outside from the bush.

Wander looked around inside the bush and on the floor. He squatted down and found a brick that was submerged in dark rainwater that was mixed with the soil below. Orange furry hands grabbed the brick and he began to tug on it, not too hard or too soft. Just enough force to get it out of the ground without making any sudden movements and sounds. The brick slid out of the earth and he held it in his hand, bits and pieces of mud fell from his hand.

"I think I may have the answer." Wander whispered. Sylvia eyeballed the brick and smiled.

"Clever." Was her response. The brick was passed on to Sylvia who was motioning for Wander to quietly move towards the edges of the bushes. Suddenly, the brick was tossed outside of the bush, gaining altitude, and fell and hit the ground near the soldiers.

"What was that?" A startled soldier remarked. The prisoner stopped crafting for a couple of seconds before returning to his work before the evil ruler returned. The startled soldier slowly walked in the direction of the noise. The rest of them began to follow or look in that direction.

Wander slowly and quietly moved out from the bush and turned a corner without being seen. It was now Sylvia's turn. Wander motioned her to hurry up and come on, but he suddenly disappeared behind the corner with a worrisome look. The watchdogs had turned around, shining the flashlights inside that given direction. Sylvia froze in place.  
Wander's heart rushed as he thought he was spotted by the guards while his body was pressed up against the white bricked wall behind him. He wiped off the sweat and sighed in relief. His mind then was set on trying to find a way to get Sylvia out of the situation she was currently stuck in. His eyes shifted down and saw that there were many bricks at his feet. Pointing above him, his pupils spotted the missing bricks and pieces of the brick wall above him. He grabbed one and threw it above the wall, later hearing a faint thud as it hit something. The soldiers turned their attention away from the prisoner yet again and aimed in the direction of the noise. Sylvia used the distraction and quickly maneuvered her way towards her best friend, turning the corner quickly, reuniting.

"Whew, that was a close one." Wander pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. Come on, let's hurry up and get out of here. It's far too dangerous."

The duo quietly ran down the alleyway, dodging dumpsters filled with old garbage bags, trash and junk. The moon above them would disappear behind dark grey clouds. Power lines crowded the streets, so were abandoned cars.

Wander gained knowledge of his surroundings and began to question if this all was a dream or if it was really reality. It was scary to think if were any of the two. If it were a dream, was this a sign of some sort? Or was it really happening? Wander didn't know the answer to this. It didn't matter how many feet the traveler and his steed ran, there was no escape from Hater's soldiers. It was endless.

_They could run, but they could not hide._

It was endless like Wander's conscious. His mind was a subspace of blackness just like the universe. He floated and saw these multicolored orbs of light. Mesmerized, Wander began to follow their patterns and he reached out and one landed on his finger.

"What in the world are these?" Wander had thought. They danced around the star nomad and then vanished. "Wh-what?"

"Wander!" Sylvia poked Wander and he snapped out of his trance. "Stay focused, we got another batch of eyes nearby."


	8. The Moon Atomic

"Are my missiles ready yet?" Hater asked in an annoyed and impatient tone.

"Almost, sir." Peepers reported. For the past twelve hours, watchdogs who specialized in this field were working non-stop in order to get the missiles up and running for their leader and his plan. Hater's plan consisted of launching missiles to nearby cities, destroying and flattening the land so that he could rebuild. Plottemis was on the targeted list.

"Yes, good. Things are going according to plan," Hater gloated. Peepers nodded, agreeing with him.

In the bulkhead, missiles were lifted gently by special machinery, up into the jets' projectile chambers. Watchdogs climbed up onto the jets and entered themselves inside and on the seat. Missiles were now fully loaded on each aircraft, ready to do some serious damage.

The jets lifted off from the ground and were flying in the air, gaining altitude every second. Hater was laughing maniacally. These jets cut through the air and blasted at high speeds, ready to attack and ambush anything that was standing in their way. Sunlight beamed against the metallic planes, which shined every so often, just right in the correct angle.

"Yes. Go forth and bring destruction!" Hater cheered. Peepers stood behind a monitoring station inside the room that him and his leader were in. He pushed a green button and spoke into a speaker box.

"Command Peepers tuning in. Our first target is Plottemis. Be sure to lock on target when approaching and blast everything in site. Don't forget our subject. Spread hate. Peepers, out."

"Copy that."

"You guys are doing an excellent job." Hater awarded Peepers with such good critique.  
"Thanks and you are doing a good job too, being leader." The first in command replied.

"Okay guys, we gotta make this fast and easy. Gas in these things don't last that long," an experience Watchdog explained during the flight.

"Will do."

_

"Quick, Wander, right over here!" Sylvia whispered, motioning her friend to follow. The orange alien swiftly moved in her direction, dust lightly being kicked up in the air behind his heels. "_Shh!_"

Wander eased his running and tip-toed. His body was pressed against the wall with his friend's blue arm and hand, putting her finger up to her muzzle. Sylvia's face pressed up against the wall, listening and making sure the ghost was clear or not. Unfortunately, on the other side, there were troopers. Watchdogs were inside, scoping out things and making sure they didn't leave anyone behind.

"So, Jim, do you think we should start heading back?" a Watchdog named Seth said while stuffing a candy bar inside his pocket.

"I don't think so. We gotta make sure not a single soul is free from Hater's grip. Let's keep looking then we need to hurry up and high tail it out of here." Jim responded.

"Why is that?"

"Don't you remember? We have to hurry up and get out of here. The fighter jets should be on their way right now to flatten this city to billions of pieces."

"Fighter jets?!" Sylvia whispered. Wander shrugged, not knowing what those were.

Back on the other side of the wall, Sylvia quietly and slowly moved toward the doorway of the entrance. Her feet avoided pieces of trash and an empty soda can. Sylvia's neck stretched out and peaked inside the door frame. A soldier appeared in the back, walking out from behind a shelf of delicious space candy bars. He was ravaging through a pile newspapers and reading the titles to himself. Taking a huge risk, she lifted her head up and looked through the dusty window. Her eyes saw another watchdog walking towards the back. This was the perfect time, if any to make a move.

Her legs lifted herself off of the ground and quietly rushed inside, hiding behind the front register. Wander followed. The sounds of boots produced muffled sounds from across the store. Vibrations could be felt by the duo if they stayed absolutely still.

"Wander, now listen up," the zbornak started, "I need you to stay here and remember, be really quiet. Don't make a sound or a peep. I'm going to sneak behind some shelves and catch these fools off guard. Sound good?"

Wander nodded at her strategic plan. His best friend quietly crouched down and sauntered behind a shelf close to the separated Watchdog. The blue steed approached the ravaging fighter and grabbed him by the throat with her big behemoth began to squeeze and cut off the circulation to the brain. The soldier uttered faint choking sounds which slightly alarmed the other trooper inside. He gasped and made his way around the aisle's shelf. On the floor, he saw his partner in crime fainted and passed out on the tile floor. This angered Seth and he walked away from the unconscious body.

"Where are you?" He muttered in a low and eerie tone. Behind the shelf, Sylvia sat down, ready for his arrival around the corner. He continued forward and was quickly grabbed by her. Oxygen was blocked from his passage ways and he began to fade into dreamland. Wander peaked from the front desk and saw that his friend was OK. He let out a faint sigh and rushed over there to her.

"Wow, that was a close one!" Wander said.

"Yeah, but I don't reckon we're in the clear yet."

Wander looked around on the shelves and saw the candy bars that were disorganized and misplaced under little signs that read the wrong name. Potato chips were scattered along the tiled floor. The little fridges in the back were shut off. It seemed like everyone packed up and just disappeared.

The little furry creature walked along the aisle to find that there was a bottle of Orbbal Juice left, along bottles that had fallen on the floor and busted. The last bottle stood there, untouched and without a single fingerprint on it. Wander's eyes gleamed and he excitedly called Sylvia over.

"Sylvia! SYLVIA LOOK!" Wander's feet began to do a little dance.

"Alright!"

In the back of the store, a Watchdog on guard came through the backdoor after hearing hollers and a lot of clattering. He appeared in the archway in the back and saw Hater's most despised enemies before him. The trooper lowered his gun and backed away behind the wall, hiding himself. He eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Now we can finally get out of here!" Sylvia said in relief.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to go ahead and open this. We can go right outside the back since there is an alleyway back there. It'd be safer. And we can just go ahead and blow the bubble and get on outta here."

This alerted the unseen character. His hand lowered and went inside his pocket, pulling out his walkie-talkie. He turned it down.

"Reporting in. Wander and Sylvia are reported inside a stored called "Leslie's," the Watchdog quietly informed others, "Do not respond to this message. I'm going to need back-up, pronto!"

As was told, the other soldiers didn't reply. The troops nearby stopped what they were doing and rushed over to the store where the two travelers were located, along with their teammate.

Both Wander and Sylvia began to walk forward, Wander preparing the bottle, when suddenly, the sound of boots and car doors being slammed shut were heard. Outside the window were silhouette's of the armed forces closing in. The two of them rushed towards the back and then the soldier popped out from the corner, smacking the opened bottle of Orbbal Juice out of Wander's hand, spilling every single drop of it on the tile floor. Behind them, soldiers entered the store, rushed past the front desk and down the aisles. Sylvia punched that surprised ambusher in the face, grabbed Wander's wrist and ran out the back door.

The sun beamed down on them and affected their vision for about ten seconds before their eyes finally decided to dilate. Wander was on top of Sylvia who was carrying him down the small alleyway. Wander frowned as his steed smoothly dodged dumpsters and bags filled with trash and junk.

"Man, we were so close to escaping this place..." Wander pondered in his mind. Sylvia grunted as she jumped over a trashcan.

"Don't worry, buddy. We'll find another way. I promise." Sylvia said, attempting to comfort his saddened friend.

Meanwhile, in the distance, fighter jets are flying in Plottemis to ensure massive destruction. The sound of the jets echoed throughout the entire city. This caught the attention of Sylvia and Wander. Wander looked up and covered his face, blinding the bright rays of the sun, allowing him to see the silhouettes of the bomb carriers.

"What in the world are those?" Wander asked.

"Fighter jets." Sylvia replied, "The Watchdog back that store mentioned that."

"Oh no..." Wander uttered.


	9. Clever Love

"They're over there! Stop them!"

"Oh crap," Sylvia blurted out. Her zbornak feet pushed forward, hauling her best friend on top of her back. His hairs on his chin were meandering due to the concern of making it out safely or not. The eyes of her friend were shrinking in size whenever they would turn a corner to find more and more Watchdogs lined up, ready to ambush and fire their weapons.

"Stop!" screamed a soldier.

The duo didn't listen. They kept on moving forward, dodging the charging soldiers who attempted to snatch Wander off of his steed. Orange hands gripped the black ropes that attached to Sylvia's headgear. Sweat began to form on the nomad's forehead and his fur moved along with the wind.

Watchdogs followed behind him, blasting laser beams from their red weapons, barely missing the brim of Wander's hat and Sylvia's body. Both of them quickly turned a corner. Wander thought that he was going to fly off at that moment. One trooper pushed as hard as he could to catch up with the running steed and the nomad, grasping the leg of Wander. He tugged as he was being dragged. Wander's body slipped off of the saddle and fell, while Sylvia continued forward. After noticing the sudden weight change on her back, she looked back.

"WANDER!" Her feet stopped and turned around, rushing in. She growled. Wander lay on the ground, getting stomped on by the group of Watchdogs. He was taking blows to the ribs, stomach, legs, and every few hits made it against his face. The sight of this infuriated Sylvia even more. Her fists balled up as she closed in on the action. Veins inside her eyes pulsated out, showing how angry she was and how determined she was to kicking some ass.

_Pow!  
Stomp!  
Unff!  
Boink!_

The trusty steed put up a hell of a fight, shoving, punching kicking and even throwing them away from her best friend. Wander laid there, covering up his face from the upcoming shadow, afraid of another sudden blow.

"Come on, buddy." Sylvia gave him her hand, offering to help him up. One of his eyes slowly opened to see his hero. His hand grabbed hers and he was set back on the saddle. Wander smiled at his friend and it was soon interrupted by the sight of a bottle. The bottle of Orbbal Juice had been spilled on the ground, the container bent and caved in. Both Wander and Sylvia were silent, staring at the remnants of what would have helped them escape this wasted planet.

In the background, you could hear the sound of the jets rumbling and closing in their target. Also, a sound of a door opened and slammed against a brick wall. Soldiers swarmed the alleyway, spotting the duo and chased after them. Wander and Sylvia scampered and maneuvered around corners. Watchdogs began to slow down as they looked to the skies and viewed the planes swarming inside the city limits.

"We gotta move! Forget them!"

"But our orders are to capture-"

"FORGET THOSE ORDERS." barked a Watchdog. The group quickly scurried away and returned to their safe and rightful positions. The jets above roared, almost breaking the sound barrier, causing glass in window panes to vibrate and rattle. In every corner and hiding place of the city, soldiers came running out of, retreating back to their Lord's ship - back to safety.

"Go Go Go!"

Watchdogs boarded the ship before the first in command started the ship up, revving up it's engine, flames bursting out of the huge exhaust pipes in the back. The ship began to lift off of the ground and then suddenly, took off real quick, getting out of the dangerous location that they were in.

As for the two best friends, they rushed as fast as they could without the desired Orbbal Juice. Sylvia's hind legs pushed forward with all of their might while Wander held onto his hat, preventing himself hatless. The look of concern grew on the face of the nomad as he looked back.

Jets soared across the sky and launched their deadly weapons of destruction. White smoke followed as flames helped push the red and black projectiles of evil towards the burning skyscrapers in downtown. Multiple missiles ambushed the city, contacting the bases of a few skyscrapers, causing the tower to give away. The tallest building in the city came crumbling down, falling on smaller nearby buildings. Meanwhile, a much larger missile was deployed for the same destination: downtown. It flew in a straight path and then just disappeared above the city before bursting into a bright white ball of light. Several seconds later, the impact formed a debris field which traveled down to the ground, causing other skyscrapers' windows to shatter, revealing the inner skeleton of the towering beasts. The debris field continued to move in a full three-hundred sixty degrees, affecting every single building miles away, shattering windows, collapsing a few, uprooting trees in the once peaceful park. Fences bent down to the ground, as if a tornado with strong winds had done it.

Wander and Sylvia pushed, as the debris cloud began to catch up to them, rapidly.

"We can make it!" Sylvia grunted as she pushed with all of her might. Wander looked behind him for a split second and realized that they weren't going to make it. He couldn't find it in himself to spit out any words due to fear swallowing him up. The impact passed over them and both screamed, but the roar of the cloud screamed so loud that they couldn't even hear themselves screaming with terror. Their ears popped and their bodies began to tear and fade away into nothing but a bright light. The light would then fade away into nothing but pure darkness.


	10. Soul Survivor

_"__Wander, it's time,_" a deep and chilling voice called out to him. "_Wake up, Wander. Wander, wake up!_"

The star nomad's eyes opened up quickly, resulting in blurry vision which soon faded away into normal eyesight. His body rose up from laying flat on what seemed to be nothing. Was he floating? Or was there really something underneath him? The orange traveler got back up on his two feet and looked around. His pupils scanned across the sea of black to find absolute zero clues on how he got there in the first place.

Sylvia, his trusty steed was missing. His head bolted from left to right.

"Sylvia!?" Wander shouted. His voice returned to him.

Faint and eerie noises sounded and echoed around him, as if he were in a gym with people talking. The occasional tunes played whenever it grew too silent. Wander began to walk, wanting to at least get somewhere! His hands were pressed against something, trying to feel and see if anything would turn some lights on or get him out of that dark place. Feet rubbed against the black floor which made that familiar squeaking noise when treading on it.

"Where... am I?" Wander questioned his surroundings. His voice echoed and faded away like the noises that were heard. The eerie feeling of being watched overcame Wander's senses and he began to run. No matter how fast or how far he ran, nothing was visible. And those voices and noises never went silent.

_"__Closer."_

That same chilling voice chimed. It sent chills up and down Wander's spine, causing the nomad to stop dead in his tracks.

_"__Don't be afraid."_

The wandering nomad continued forward and tried to gather some sense on why he was being lead.

"Who are you?" Wander asked aloud, looking up. No response.

Neon lights raced across the sea of black, disappearing. The bright lights raced across the blackness, shining bright, but the blackness swallowed up the light that it was emitting. Wander's eyes glued on these lights, fascinated by the strips of radiance. He followed them until they disappeared, and when they reappeared, he would chase them down. The intentions of these lights were to have him follow them, leading him into an upcoming room that was filled with objects that would affect him greatly. What could they be?

Who was talking to Wander and where was it leading him?


	11. Letters To God: Part II

The wandering star nomad peeked around the corner and saw envelopes stacked up on the desk which were sealed. Each stack was towering and looked as if a sudden movement would send them falling down. Wander stood there, staring at the stacks of letters that remained on the grey desk. His eyes gleamed and his pupils grew substantial as the stacks got closer. His sneakers still made that faint squeaking noise against the black ground.

"Whoa.." Wander uttered aloud.

The orange spoon carefully walked to the other side of the desk, where there was a big empty chair. He managed to work his way up the chair and climb up onto it, planting himself in the seat. The curious nomad lifted his hat up so it wouldn't fall and gazed at the stacks of sealed envelopes which covered parts of the desk.

"Are these letters?" Wander thought to himself. "There are so many..."

Wander began to look at the smaller stacks of letters since it was easier for him. He flipped through each one which contained a handwritten name on the front: John, Brittney, Stacey, Dalton, Aaron, and the list went on.

After scavenging through a few more letters, Wander then decided to open one and see what was inside the sealed piece of paper. He tore the seal off and pulled out more pieces of paper which had handwriting on the back and front. They were letters. After reading a couple of lines, the orange creature decided to stop reading since it the letter wasn't directed to him but to God.

A few seconds later, a letter popped out of nowhere and landed perfectly on the top of one of the towers of messages. This one was colored oddly. The envelope was colored blue and the corners were a pink. Wander thought it looked familiar, almost to Sylvia's colors. Wander climbed up on top of the desk and tried to reach for the different colored message. His foot slipped due to stepping on one of the envelopes and he fell on his rump on the desk. The vibrations of the crash caused the letters to come tumbling down to the ground, falling on the desk and landing on the black floor. Wander regained himself and got back on his two feet, looking everywhere for the odd colored letter. It wasn't on the desk. It wasn't behind him. It was somewhere. He climbed off of the desk and walked around it, looking and saw it under the chair. The wheels on the chair made this weird rubbing sound as the chair was being pushed. Wander's little hand reached down and grabbed it, flipping it over to the correct side with the name on it. It read "Sylvia."

Wander pushed his pointer finger underneath the seal and opened it up, pulling out a letter which read:

_Dear Wander,_

_I just want to write this to you and tell you goodbye. I have known you well and I have been proud of you ever since the very first day we met. We have had fun and exciting adventures together. Remember that one day where we both had fun at that carnival? You were begging us to get a funnel cake since it was something new to you. I remember you always gagged when I mentioned anything about Jellyfish Pie. I can see your face shriveling up right now as you read this._

_I hope you have a wonderful life and live through the most daring and adventurous places without me. I know it will be hard for you to cope with my absence, but you will manage. I believe you can. Wander, I will always be your friend no matter what; if I'm alive or if I'm dead. Your Zbornak buddie will always be inside your heart and you know that. I will be watching over you until that final day comes and it's your time. Then, I will meet you in your mansion in front of a road made of gold._

_Your Bestie,_  
_Sylvia_

Wander's eyes began to fill with tears that were made up of all of the emotion he unleashed from reading that touching and emotional letter. Stains began to form as the nomad reviewed the letter once more. He held it tight in his hands, not wanted to let the meaningful message go.

"Sylvia..."

As Wander continued to mourn over his best friend, a few more unexplained noises were heard. This caught the creature's attention and he lowered the letter down to his side. The same lights raced across the room and vanished before his very eyes. A tear fell from his cheek as he tilted his head, wondering why those lights keep appearing.

Suddenly, flashes of multiple visions flooded Wander's mind with such gruesome images of his best friend. Her body lay motionless on the charred ground, surrounded by a flattened landscape. Wander's pupils shrunk in size and tried hard to swallow and accept this. The images finally stopped and everything returned to black. Wander shook violently, the letter in his hand began to wrinkle. He felt cold and felt something go through him. If he had skin, goosebumps would develop. He turned around to face the desk again and with his own eyes, saw something sitting in the seat. The letters on the ground started to vibrate and rumble. The pieces of paper gained height, floating in place before rushing toward the desk to stack up once again. All of them except for the opened letter in Wander's hand. The nomad's eyes locked on the once moving stacked pile of letters. Then, that same chilling voice spoke again.

_"Hello, Wander."_


	12. Some Origins of Fire

"H-Hello?" Wander stuttered at the powerful voice. He stood there in the sea of black, awaiting for a reply. The star nomad's eyes were looking at the desk where the voice had come from. Letters were once where they started before a curious Wander messed them up out of spite.

_"__I see that you have been going through my collection."_

Wander gulped, thinking he was in trouble.

_"__Don't be silly, Wander. It's not a problem. What's that in your hand?"_

Wander looked down at the opened letter and looked back up where the voice was uttering at.

"A letter from Sylvia..." Wander quietly said in a sad tone. His eyes half-closed as tears began to form and later overfilled his eyelids. The voice remained quiet.

"Hello?" Wander asked.

_"__Do you know why I brought you here, Wander?"_

"...No." Wander replied.

_"__Do you see these letters? And how high they stack up?"_

Wander nodded.

_"__You see, these are my letters. I keep them organized here on my desk. Now, I know there are a lot but these letters have a reason. Each envelope contains a letter from a loved one that has died. Right before they perish, they stay somewhere in an x amount of time in order to write out what they feel, what they wanted to say, and the list goes on. I see that you have got Sylvia's letter and by judging on how it's already opened, I assume that you read it. Is that correct?"_

"Yes. Yes I have..." Wander answered with eyes full of tears.

_"__Alright, good. I know that Sylvia is very proud of you. I have watched you and her have some wonderful adventures with each other. You were her friend and she was yours. But sadly, it was time." The voice paused for a short moment before continuing, "You see, time is everything, Wander. Everyone is scheduled a time before they have to go."_

An hourglass appeared on the desk, which the contents almost filled the bottom. Her time was coming up real quick, having a shorter time than Wander himself.

_"__This is Sylvia's hourglass. Her time is almost out,"_ the voice continued, _"__and this one is yours."_ Another hourglass appeared and showed some contents on the bottom and some on the top, slowly falling down. Wander's eyes grew big as he saw his own life, in time, was right in front of him.

_"__When your time is up, you will know. And you will have a chance to write to someone that you love." _

Chills traveled up and down Wander's spine. The nomad believed that he was going to pass one day, but he was not looking forward to know when the time will come. He wanted to live as long as he could without knowing the dreaded future. Wander looked down and grasped the letter in his right hand. He sighed.

The unknown entity knew what he was feeling. He felt sorrow, dread, fear, and a bunch of other emotions that were coming all out at once.

_"__Wander,"_ the voice began, _"__it's time to wake up."_

The blackness that surrounded the nomad lifted and disappeared. The floor underneath him collapsed and the nomad began to fall. Colors of white and light blue surrounded him then and white traveled at high speeds around him. He was somehow falling. Wander began to scream at the top of his lungs. Highlights of the nightmare came back to remind him: Watchdogs invading cities, Lord Hater at his throne, citizens screaming, Sylvia and him hiding, being chased, the nuke missile, an explosion and the letter.

The two colors faded away and turned to nothing but blackness once more. Then, silence.


End file.
